Women's rugby in the Border Rugby Union (BRU) region continues to be the brightest star of the women’s game in SA.
This was evident this past weekend when Mdantsane-based Winter Rose women were crowned champions at the National Club Championships held in Cape Town on Saturday.
The tournament, which brought down the curtain on the 2014 women’s provincial rugby season, kicked off on Saturday and featured eight club teams from East London, Pretoria, Eastern Province, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and the Western Cape. The tournament was made possible by funding from the Department of Sport and Recreation.
The Winter Rose signalled their intentions early on as they registered a convincing 60-0 victory against Limpopo’s Nkowa-Nkowa and then pipped Kwaru of Port Elizabeth 10-8 in semis to book their place in the final.
The victory by Winter Rose come exactly a week after Border Queens were also triumphant in the domestic women’s premier league final against the Blue Bulls.
Winter Rose coach Khaniye Tshokotshi praised his charges for a job well done in what was their first national club champs title. The skills of some Border Rugby Women players are nurtured at Winter Rose, among them is – Lusanda Dumke.
Tshokotshi believes that there are more Women Springbok prospects in the making at the Mdantsane outfit. The victory, he added, indicates that clubs from disadvantaged areas can now compete with their counterparts from developed backgrounds.
This, according to Tshokotshi, should send a strong message to national selectors that players from the townships too can play rugby at the highest level. Their glory at the club champs does not surprise him at all.
“We knew that our dominance at Border level would surely translate to national (level) because our girls are fit and talented. The bulk of our players are still young but the hunger and hard work they continuously display proves they are at the level of playing for the national team.
“Lusanda Dumke for instance, who is just 18, is a sensational player who has already been invited to the national team trials before. That girl is so talented that she adapted well and was equally sensational when I played her at inside centre last weekend instead of her traditional playing position of a flank.”
Tshokotshi, however, said the biggest challenge still facing women’s rugby was being treated as inferior to men’s. A sentiment shared by Mandisa Williams, coordinator of Women’s Rugby at BRU.
William’s congratulated Tshokotshi for his “sterling contribution” to the development of women’s rugby in the province.
“The Winter Rose victory shows that women’s rugby at Border is going places,” said an excited Williams.
Winter Rose on hot streak to national crown
This was evident this past weekend when Mdantsane-based Winter Rose women were crowned champions at the National Club Championships held in Cape Town on Saturday.
The tournament, which brought down the curtain on the 2014 women’s provincial rugby season, kicked off on Saturday and featured eight club teams from East London, Pretoria, Eastern Province, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and the Western Cape. The tournament was made possible by funding from the Department of Sport and Recreation.
The Winter Rose signalled their intentions early on as they registered a convincing 60-0 victory against Limpopo’s Nkowa-Nkowa and then pipped Kwaru of Port Elizabeth 10-8 in semis to book their place in the final.
The victory by Winter Rose come exactly a week after Border Queens were also triumphant in the domestic women’s premier league final against the Blue Bulls.
Winter Rose coach Khaniye Tshokotshi praised his charges for a job well done in what was their first national club champs title. The skills of some Border Rugby Women players are nurtured at Winter Rose, among them is – Lusanda Dumke.
Tshokotshi believes that there are more Women Springbok prospects in the making at the Mdantsane outfit. The victory, he added, indicates that clubs from disadvantaged areas can now compete with their counterparts from developed backgrounds.
This, according to Tshokotshi, should send a strong message to national selectors that players from the townships too can play rugby at the highest level. Their glory at the club champs does not surprise him at all.
“We knew that our dominance at Border level would surely translate to national (level) because our girls are fit and talented. The bulk of our players are still young but the hunger and hard work they continuously display proves they are at the level of playing for the national team.
“Lusanda Dumke for instance, who is just 18, is a sensational player who has already been invited to the national team trials before. That girl is so talented that she adapted well and was equally sensational when I played her at inside centre last weekend instead of her traditional playing position of a flank.”
Tshokotshi, however, said the biggest challenge still facing women’s rugby was being treated as inferior to men’s. A sentiment shared by Mandisa Williams, coordinator of Women’s Rugby at BRU.
William’s congratulated Tshokotshi for his “sterling contribution” to the development of women’s rugby in the province.
“The Winter Rose victory shows that women’s rugby at Border is going places,” said an excited Williams.
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